$990,000 grant awarded to UNE Physician Assistant Program covered by media

The Portland Press Herald and Mainebiz on Sept. 30, 2010 reported that the University of New England's Physician Assistant Program has been awarded a $990,000 federal grant to expand the program. The two-year training program, based at UNE's Westbrook College of Health Professions, is the only one of its kind in Maine. The grant is part of the new Affordable Care Act and part of an effort to train more primary care providers to meet increasing demand due to health care reforms and aging populations. Physician assistants, who are trained to diagnose and treat patients, work under the supervision of physicians and are playing a greater role in medical practices because of a shortage of primary care doctors.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.